Locating misplaced mobile computing devices

ABSTRACT

Locating misplaced mobile computing devices through transmission of location information. Mobile computing devices periodically request information from surrounding mobile computing devices to more accurately identify the location where a mobile computing device was misplaced.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to the field of computing devicemanagement, and more particularly to locating misplaced mobile computingdevices.

Individuals carry a variety of mobile computing devices (smartphones,smartwatches, wireless headsets, tablets, e-readers, laptops, etc.),each of which has the ability to connect with other mobile computingdevices. Individuals lose a multitude of mobile computing devices eachyear, some of which are not recovered. These losses result in costs toconsumers and insurance companies.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is a method,computer program product, and/or system that performs the followingsteps (not necessarily in the following order): (i) receiving a set ofdiscovery response data from a mobile computing device; (ii) receiving aquery for the set of discovery response data of the mobile computingdevice; and (iii) responsive to the query, transmitting the set ofdiscovery response data. At least the transmitting step is performed bycomputer software running on computer hardware.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram view of a first embodiment of a systemaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a flowchart, showing a first embodiment method performed, atleast in part, by the first embodiment system;

FIG. 2B is a flowchart, showing a second embodiment method performed, atleast in part, by the first embodiment system;

FIG. 2C is a flowchart, showing a third embodiment method performed, atleast in part, by the first embodiment system; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram view of a machine logic (for example,software) portion of the first embodiment system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Locating misplaced mobile computing devices through transmission oflocation information. Mobile computing devices periodically requestinformation from surrounding mobile computing devices to more accuratelyidentify the location where a mobile computing device was misplaced.This Detailed Description section is divided into the followingsub-sections: (i) The Hardware and Software Environment; (ii) ExampleEmbodiment; (iii) Further Comments and/or Embodiments; and (iv)Definitions.

I. THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

An embodiment of a possible hardware and software environment forsoftware and/or methods according to the present invention will now bedescribed in detail with reference to the Figures. FIG. 1 is afunctional block diagram illustrating various portions of networkedcomputers system 100, including: mobile computing device (MCD)sub-system 102; smartphone sub-system 104; tablet sub-system 106;e-reader sub-system 108; laptop sub-system 110; and wireless headsetdevice sub-system 112; communication network 114; mobile computingdevice (MCD) computer 200; communication unit 202; processor set 204;input/output (I/O) interface set 206; memory device 208; persistentstorage device 210; display device 212; external device set 214; locatorstorage 216; random access memory (RAM) devices 230; cache memory device232; and device management program 300.

Sub-system 102 is, in many respects, representative of the variouscomputer sub-system(s) in the present invention. Accordingly, severalportions of sub-system 102 will now be discussed in the followingparagraphs.

Sub-system 102 may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, netbookcomputer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any programmable electronic devicecapable of communicating with the client sub-systems via network 114.Program 300 is a collection of machine readable instructions and/or datathat is used to create, manage and control certain software functionsthat will be discussed in detail, below, in the Example Embodimentsub-section of this Detailed Description section.

Sub-system 102 is capable of communicating with other computersub-systems via network 114. Network 114 can be, for example, a localarea network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or acombination of the two, and can include wired, wireless, or fiber opticconnections. In general, network 114 can be any combination ofconnections and protocols that will support communications betweenserver and client sub-systems.

Sub-system 102 is shown as a block diagram with many double arrows.These double arrows (no separate reference numerals) represent acommunications fabric, which provides communications between variouscomponents of sub-system 102. This communications fabric can beimplemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/orcontrol information between processors (such as microprocessors,communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheraldevices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example,the communications fabric can be implemented, at least in part, with oneor more buses.

Memory 208 and persistent storage 210 are computer-readable storagemedia. In general, memory 208 can include any suitable volatile ornon-volatile computer-readable storage media. It is further noted that,now and/or in the near future: (i) external device(s) 214 may be able tosupply, some or all, memory for sub-system 102; and/or (ii) devicesexternal to sub-system 102 may be able to provide memory for sub-system102.

Program 300 is stored in persistent storage 210 for access and/orexecution by one or more of the respective computer processors 204,usually through one or more memories of memory 208. Persistent storage210: (i) is at least more persistent than a signal in transit; (ii)stores the program (including its soft logic and/or data), on a tangiblemedium (such as magnetic or optical domains); and (iii) is substantiallyless persistent than permanent storage. Alternatively, data storage maybe more persistent and/or permanent than the type of storage provided bypersistent storage 210.

Program 300 may include both machine readable and performableinstructions and/or substantive data (that is, the type of data storedin a database). In this particular embodiment, persistent storage 210includes a magnetic hard disk drive. To name some possible variations,persistent storage 210 may include a solid state hard drive, asemiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any othercomputer-readable storage media that is capable of storing programinstructions or digital information.

The media used by persistent storage 210 may also be removable. Forexample, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 210.Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, andsmart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto anothercomputer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage210.

Communications unit 202, in these examples, provides for communicationswith other data processing systems or devices external to sub-system102. In these examples, communications unit 202 includes one or morenetwork interface cards. Communications unit 202 may providecommunications through the use of either or both physical and wirelesscommunications links. Any software modules discussed herein may bedownloaded to a persistent storage device (such as persistent storagedevice 210) through a communications unit (such as communications unit202).

I/O interface set 206 allows for input and output of data with otherdevices that may be connected locally in data communication withcomputer 200. For example, I/O interface set 206 provides a connectionto external device set 214. External device set 214 will typicallyinclude devices such as a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or someother suitable input device. External device set 214 can also includeportable computer-readable storage media such as, for example, thumbdrives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Softwareand data used to practice embodiments of the present invention, forexample, program 300, can be stored on such portable computer-readablestorage media. In these embodiments the relevant software may (or maynot) be loaded, in whole or in part, onto persistent storage device 210via I/O interface set 206. I/O interface set 206 also connects in datacommunication with display device 212.

Display device 212 provides a mechanism to display data to a user andmay be, for example, a computer monitor or a smart phone display screen.

The programs described herein are identified based upon the applicationfor which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of theinvention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular programnomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus theinvention should not be limited to use solely in any specificapplication identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles ofthe embodiment, the practical application or technical improvement overtechnologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinaryskill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

II. EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show flowcharts 250, 260, and 270, respectively, todepict methods according to the present invention. FIG. 3 shows devicemanagement program 300 for performing at least some of the method stepsof flowcharts 250, 260, and 270. This method and associated softwarewill now be discussed, over the course of the following paragraphs, withextensive reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C (for the method step blocks)and FIG. 3 (for the software blocks). To more fully explain the figures,an example is used, in which a user, Able, carries mobile computingdevice (MCD) sub-system 102 and smartphone sub-system 104 (FIG. 1). Itshould be noted that embodiments of the present invention are notlimited in the number of mobile computing devices (MCDs) used. Forbetter reader understanding, the method steps presented below aredescribed from the perspective of MCD sub-system 102. For someembodiments of the present invention, each MCD operates independently todetermine the presence of other MCDs and to respond to discoveryrequests of other MCDs.

Processing of flowchart 250 begins at step S255, where receive requestmodule (“mod”) 302 receives a discovery request from an MCD. Thediscovery request is a public broadcast over a set of wireless networkprotocols to determine what, if any, other MCDs are within communicationrange. Alternatively, the discovery request is also sent over a set ofwired network protocols. In some embodiments of the present invention,the discovery request is also transmitted to devices other than MCDs. Insome embodiments of the present invention, the device making thediscovery request is a device other than an MCD. In this example MCDsub-system 102 receives a discovery request from smartphone sub-system104 over a radio frequency network protocol.

Processing proceeds to step S256, where transmit response mod 304transmits a set of discovery response data to the MCD making thediscovery request. The set of discovery response data includes one ormore of, but is not limited to: (i) a unique MCD identifier; (ii) anobfuscated MCD identifier; (iii) the geographical location of the MCD(location information); (iv) the time; and/or (v) a remaining batterylife. In some embodiments of the present invention, the MCD respondingto the discovery request has primary location services (see Sub-SectionIV, “Definitions,” below), and transmits location information based onthe primary location services. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, the MCD responding to the discovery request lacks primarylocation services and, instead, transmits location information based onsecondary location services. Alternatively, an MCD contains a preloadedmap to determine location information. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the device transmitting the discovery response datahas previously paired with the device from which it received thediscovery request. In some of those embodiments, the device transmittingthe discovery response data uses a unique MCD identifier, instead of anobfuscated MCD identifier. In some embodiments of the present invention,the device transmitting the discovery response data has not previouslypaired with the device from which it received the discovery request. Insome of those embodiments, the device transmitting the discoveryresponse data uses an obfuscated MCD identifier, instead of a unique MCDidentifier. Because the discovery request is a public request, more thanone MCD may respond. In some embodiments of the present invention, theMCD responding to the discovery request transmits the set of discoveryresponse data over the same network protocol on which the discoveryrequest was received. In some embodiments of the present invention, theset of discovery response data is transmitted over a different networkprotocol from the network protocol on which the discovery request wasreceived. In this example, MCD sub-system 102 transmits a set ofdiscovery response data to smartphone sub-system 104 over the same radiofrequency network protocol as the network protocol on which MCDsub-system 102 received the discovery request. The set of discoveryresponse data includes a unique MCD identifier and the GPS coordinatesof smartphone sub-system 104.

Processing proceeds to step S257, where wait mod 306 waits for the MCDto receive a new discovery request. Upon receipt of a new discoveryrequest, processing returns to step S255. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the MCD receiving a discovery request skips step S257because multiple discovery requests were received. In those embodiments,processing returns from step S256 directly to step S255. In someembodiments, the MCD never receives a new discovery request andprocessing never returns to step S255. In this example, MCD sub-system102 waits approximately three minutes for smartphone 104 to transmit anew discovery request.

In parallel (but not necessarily simultaneously or concurrently) withprocessing of flowchart 250, processing of flowchart 260 begins at stepS265, where transmit request mod 308 transmits a discovery request. Insome embodiments of the present invention the discovery request istransmitted over a set of wireless network protocols to determine what,if any, other MCDs are within communication range. Alternatively, thediscovery request is also sent over a set of wired network protocols. Inthis example, MCD sub-system 102 transmits a discovery request over aninfrared network protocol to determine what, if any, devices are withincommunication range.

Processing proceeds to step S266, where receive response mod 310receives a set of discovery response data. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the MCD responding to the discovery request transmitsthe set of discovery response data over the same network protocol onwhich the discovery request was received. In some embodiments of thepresent invention the set of discovery response data is transmitted overa different network protocol from the network protocol on which thediscovery request was received. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, there are no MCDs within communication range and no responseis received. Alternatively, more than one MCD responds to the discoveryrequest. In some embodiments of the present invention, the set ofdiscovery response data does not include location information and theMCD that transmitted the discovery request uses its own locationinformation as the location information for the set of discoveryresponse data. In some of those embodiments of the present invention,the device that transmitted the discovery request uses secondarylocation services to determine its own location. In this example, MCDsub-system 102 only receives a set of discovery response data fromsmartphone sub-system 104, including the media access control (MAC)address of smartphone sub-system 104 as the unique MCD identifier. Thisset of discovery response data was transmitted over a radio frequencynetwork protocol, different from the infrared network protocol on whichMCD sub-system 102 transmitted the discovery request.

Processing proceeds to step S267, where store mod 312 stores the set ofdiscovery response data, if any, to memory. In some embodiments of thepresent invention, discovery response data is stored to a segregatedmemory, such as locator storage 216 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments of thepresent invention, the set of discovery response data is stored in atable. Alternatively, the set of discovery response data is stored as astring of characters. In some embodiments of the present invention, aset of discovery response data is permanently retained. In someembodiments of the present invention, a set of discovery response datain memory is handled by: (i) overwriting the set of discovery responsedata for each MCD at every cycle; (ii) manually erasing the set ofdiscovery response data; (iii) purging the set of discovery responsedata in a “first in, first out” method; (iv) prioritizing the set ofdiscovery response data for a first set of MCDs over the set ofdiscovery response data for a second set of MCDs; (v) purging the set ofdiscovery response data after a specified period of time; and/or (vi)automatically purging the set of discovery response data, based oninternal conditions. In some embodiments of the present invention, theset of discovery response data stored to memory cannot be accessedwithout input of the unique MCD identifier or the obfuscated MCDidentifier correlated to that set of discovery response data. In someembodiments of the present invention, where an obfuscated MCD identifierwas used, the set of discovery response data can only be accessedthrough a query over a wireless network protocol. In some embodiments ofthe present invention, no response is received in step S266. In thoseembodiments processing skips step S267 and proceeds directly to stepS268. Alternatively, more than one MCD responds to the discovery requestand processing of step S267 repeats for each set of discovery responsesdata received. In this example, MCD sub-system 102 stores the set ofdiscovery response data received from smartphone sub-system 104 tolocator storage 216.

Processing proceeds to step S268, where delay mod 314 delays processing.In some embodiments of the present invention, a delay is calculatedfrom: (i) the end of a prior instance of step S268; (ii) the start ofprocessing of one of steps S265, S266, or S267; and/or (iii) the startof processing of step S268. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, the determination of the length of the delay is made: (i) asa predetermined setting; and/or (ii) as an input. In this example, thelength of the delay is predetermined and processing is delayed for fiveminutes. Processing returns to step S265.

In parallel (but not necessarily simultaneously or concurrently) withprocessing of flowcharts 250 and 260, processing of flowchart 270 beginsat step S275, where receive query mod 316 receives a query for a set ofdiscovery response data. In some embodiments of the present invention,the query relates to a misplaced MCD. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, the query is received as input from a user. Alternatively,the query is automatically generated based on predetermined settings oris received from a different MCD. The query includes at least one of: aunique MCD identifier and/or an obfuscated MCD identifier. In thisexample, Able has misplaced smartphone sub-system 104 and queries MCDsub-system 102 for the location information of smartphone sub-system 104using the MAC address of smartphone sub-system 104 as the unique MCDidentifier.

Processing proceeds to step S276, where retrieve mod 318 retrieves theset of discovery response data from memory. The appropriate set ofdiscovery response data is located using the unique MCD identifier orthe obfuscated MCD identifier received as part of the query. In someembodiments of the present invention, only the most recent set ofdiscovery response data is retrieved. Alternatively, all sets ofdiscovery response data in memory for that unique MCD identifier areretrieved. In this example, MCD sub-system 102 locates the most recentset of discovery response data in locator storage 216 (FIG. 1) forsmartphone sub-system 104 using the corresponding MAC address.

Processing terminates at step S277, where query response mod 320responds to the query by transmitting the set of discovery response dataretrieved in step S276. In some embodiments of the present invention,the query response is transmitted over the same network protocol as thenetwork protocol on which the query was received. In some embodiments ofthe present invention, the query response is transmitted using aninput/output device, such as I/O interface set 206 (FIG. 1).Alternatively, the query response transmits: (i) directions from thepresent location to the location associated with the set of discoveryresponse data; (ii) navigational instructions based, in part, on thelocation associated with the set of discovery response data; and/or(iii) the relative location of the location associated with the set ofdiscovery response data compared to the present location.

III. FURTHER COMMENTS AND/OR EMBODIMENTS

Some embodiments of the present invention recognize the following facts,potential problems, and/or potential areas for improvement with respectto the current state of the art: (i) mobile computing devices are notalways within range of or connected to a cellular or wireless network;(ii) devices that are turned off or have lost battery power cannottransmit location information; and (iii) not all mobile computingdevices have primary location services.

In some embodiment of the present invention, an MCD transmits a set ofdiscovery response data without first receiving a discovery request.This transmission of a set of discovery response data is made in asimilar manner to the transmission of a discovery request. In some ofthese embodiments a delay is used between subsequent transmissions ofdiscovery response data. In some embodiments, an MCD automaticallygenerates a query if a specified amount of time has passed after thereceipt of a set of discovery response data from a second MCD, withwhich the MCD has previously paired. Based on the automaticallygenerated query, the MCD will transmit a query response as an alert thatthe second MCD is potentially misplaced. In these embodiments, queriesare only automatically generated for devices with which the MCD haspreviously paired.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a user, Bob, is hiking in anational forest with no cellular signal. He has a smartphone and atablet. Bob's tablet transmits discovery requests to his smartphone,which has GPS, on a two minute interval. In response, Bob's smartphonetransmits a set of discovery response data containing its MAC addressand GPS coordinates. Later, Bob realizes that he has misplaced hissmartphone and queries his tablet for the five most recent sets ofdiscovery response data for his smartphone. A pre-loaded map opens,showing the five most recent GPS coordinates received from thesmartphone appearing in a cluster along the side of a trail. Bob walksback down the trail and finds his smartphone where he had taken a shortbreak.

In one embodiment of the present invention, Charlie and David are hikingin a national forest with no cellular signal. They each have asmartphone, a tablet, and a wireless headset. Prior to setting out onthe hike, Charlie and David pair all six devices. Charlie's smartphone,which has GPS, transmits discovery response data (including a uniquedevice identifier, a timestamp, and GPS coordinates) to each of theother five devices in response to repeated discovery requests. Charlierealizes that he has misplaced his smartphone. Using his wirelessheadset, he retrieves the most recent GPS coordinates for hissmartphone. Using the accelerometer integrated into the wireless headsetand using the GPS on the tablet, Charlie is able to determine that hissmartphone is approximately 100 yards behind him.

In one embodiment of the present invention, Eric is in a park. He has asmartphone and a wireless headset. Eric's smartphone transmits a setdiscovery response data (including an obfuscated unique deviceidentifier, a timestamp, and location information) in response to aseries of discovery requests made by a variety of MCDs in the park.Later, Eric realizes that he has misplaced his smartphone. Using hiswireless headset, he queries nearby mobile computing devices todetermine the most recent set of discovery response data transmitted byhis smartphone. Based on the timestamps, Eric is able to determine thelocation of his smartphone.

Some embodiments of the present invention may include one, or more, ofthe following features, characteristics, and/or advantages: (i) mobilecomputing devices (MCDs) running an embodiment of the present inventionare not required to opt-in to a system; (ii) a central server is not arequired element for storing discovery response data from MCDs runningan embodiment of the present invention; (iii) partitioned or segregatedmemory is used to limit the resource requirement for MCDs running anembodiment of the present invention; (iv) access to a cellular orwireless network is not required; (v) misplaced MCDs can be locatedregardless of battery power; (vi) information is protected through theuse of obfuscated MCD identifiers when interacting with devices withwhich the MCD has not previously paired; (vii) MCDs have a record of thelast known location of a misplaced MCD; and/or (viii) misplaced MCDsneed not be found by another user to be located using an embodiment ofthe present invention.

Some embodiments of the present invention may include one, or more, ofthe following features, characteristics, and/or advantages: (i)differentiating between a second MCD with which an MCD has previouslypaired and a third MCD with which the MCD has not previously paired;(ii) sharing an obfuscated MCD identifier with MCDs with which the MCDhas not previously paired; (iii) querying MCDs for a set of discoveryresponse data correlating to a misplaced MCD; and/or (iv) alerting auser if a previously paired MCD does not transmit discovery responsedata.

IV. DEFINITIONS

Present invention: should not be taken as an absolute indication thatthe subject matter described by the term “present invention” is coveredby either the claims as they are filed, or by the claims that mayeventually issue after patent prosecution; while the term “presentinvention” is used to help the reader to get a general feel for whichdisclosures herein that are believed as maybe being new, thisunderstanding, as indicated by use of the term “present invention,” istentative and provisional and subject to change over the course ofpatent prosecution as relevant information is developed and as theclaims are potentially amended.

Embodiment: see definition of “present invention” above—similar cautionsapply to the term “embodiment.”

and/or: inclusive or; for example, A, B “and/or” C means that at leastone of A or B or C is true and applicable.

Including/include/includes: unless otherwise explicitly noted, means“including, but not necessarily limited to.”

User/subscriber: includes, but is not necessarily limited to, thefollowing: (i) a single individual human; (ii) an artificialintelligence entity with sufficient intelligence to act as a user orsubscriber; and/or (iii) a group of related users or subscribers.

Data communication: any sort of data communication scheme now known orto be developed in the future, including wireless communication, wiredcommunication, and communication routes that have wireless and wiredportions; data communication is not necessarily limited to: (i) directdata communication; (ii) indirect data communication; and/or (iii) datacommunication where the format, packetization status, medium, encryptionstatus, and/or protocol remains constant over the entire course of thedata communication.

Receive/provide/send/input/output: unless otherwise explicitlyspecified, these words should not be taken to imply: (i) any particulardegree of directness with respect to the relationship between theirobjects and subjects; and/or (ii) absence of intermediate components,actions, and/or things interposed between their objects and subjects.

Module/Sub-Module: any set of hardware, firmware and/or software thatoperatively works to do some kind of function, without regard to whetherthe module is: (i) in a single local proximity; (ii) distributed over awide area; (iii) in a single proximity within a larger piece of softwarecode; (iv) located within a single piece of software code; (v) locatedin a single storage device, memory, or medium; (vi) mechanicallyconnected; (vii) electrically connected; and/or (viii) connected in datacommunication.

Computer: any device with significant data processing and/or machinereadable instruction reading capabilities including, but not limited to:desktop computers, mainframe computers, laptop computers,field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based devices, smart phones,personal digital assistants (PDAs), body-mounted or inserted computers,embedded device style computers, application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC) based devices.

To Pair (also pairing, paired): to create a direct node-to-nodeconnection between two mobile computing devices (MCDs); sometimesreferred to as a peer-to-peer or P2P connection.

Primary location services: methods by which an MCD determines itsgeographic location solely through reference to programs containedwithin the MCD (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)).

Secondary location services: methods by which an MCD determines itsgeographic location that are not primary location services. Secondarylocation services include, but are not limited to: (i) triangulationbased on cellular network signals; (ii) use of fixed wireless networkcommunication signals; (iii) use of assisted GPS (AGPS); (iv) use of theMAC addresses of a set of fixed devices; (v) use of an integratedaccelerometer to determine a distance traveled from a prior knownlocation; and/or (vi) use of the primary location services of nearbydevices.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving a set of discoveryresponse data from a mobile computing device; receiving a query for theset of discovery response data of the mobile computing device; andresponsive to the query, transmitting the set of discovery responsedata; wherein: at least the transmitting step is performed by computersoftware running on computer hardware.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data,storing the set of discovery response data to a memory; and responsiveto the query, retrieving the set of discovery response data from memory.3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a request tothe mobile computing device for the set of discovery response data. 4.The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the receiving ortransmitting steps is performed over a wireless network protocol.
 5. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the set of discovery response data includes anobfuscated MCD identifier.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the set ofdiscovery response data includes a set of GPS coordinates.
 7. The methodof claim 6 further comprising: generating a set of navigationalinstructions based, in part, on the set of GPS coordinates.
 8. Acomputer program product comprising a computer readable storage mediumhaving stored thereon: first program instructions programmed to receivea set of discovery response data from a mobile computing device; secondprogram instructions programmed to receive a query for the set ofdiscovery response data of the mobile computing device; and thirdprogram instructions programmed, responsive to the query, to transmitthe set of discovery response data.
 9. The computer program product ofclaim 8, further comprising: fourth program instructions programmed,responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data, to store theset of discovery response data to a memory; and fifth programinstructions programmed, responsive to the query, to retrieve the set ofdiscovery response data from memory.
 10. The computer program product ofclaim 8, further comprising: fourth program instructions programmed totransmit a request to the mobile computing device for the set ofdiscovery response data.
 11. The computer program product of claim 8wherein at least one of the program instructions further includesprogram instructions to operate over a wireless network protocol. 12.The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the set of discoveryresponse data includes an obfuscated MCD identifier.
 13. The computerprogram product of claim 8 wherein the set of discovery response dataincludes a set of GPS coordinates.
 14. A computer system comprising: aprocessor set; and a computer readable storage medium; wherein: theprocessor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed torun program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium;and the program instructions include: first program instructionsprogrammed to receive a set of discovery response data from a mobilecomputing device; second program instructions programmed to receive aquery for the set of discovery response data of the mobile computingdevice; and third program instructions programmed, responsive to thequery, to transmit the set of discovery response data.
 15. The computersystem of claim 14, further comprising: fourth program instructionsprogrammed, responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data,to store the set of discovery response data to a memory; and fifthprogram instructions programmed, responsive to the query, to retrievethe set of discovery response data from memory.
 16. The computer systemof claim 14, further comprising: fourth program instructions programmedto transmit a request to the mobile computing device for the set ofdiscovery response data.
 17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein atleast one of the program instructions further includes programinstructions to operate over a wireless network protocol.
 18. Thecomputer system of claim 14 wherein the set of discovery response dataincludes an obfuscated MCD identifier.
 19. The computer system of claim14 wherein the set of discovery response data includes a set of GPScoordinates.
 20. The computer system of claim 19 further comprising:fourth program instructions programmed to navigate to the set of GPScoordinates.